Summary: Yoh just knows he's not going to have a good day when a suspicious piece of mail causes Anna to fly off the handle…and all that before breakfast too! But he doesn't know the half of it…Will something, anything, happen to make the day any better?

Written: From about 7 to 11 pm on 8/3/07.

Rating: T for moderate romantic themes and mild language.

Notes: Tanto and katana are Japanese bladed weapons, the former roughly equivalent to a dagger; the latter, a longsword.

An Unquenchable Thirst

Kiss #3

Yoh looked groggily at the image behind the spattered mirror and blinked hard. He absentmindedly tugged at a cowlick in his jet-black hair with one hand while halfheartedly brushing his teeth with the other. It was far too early to be awake, in his opinion, but training waits for no man…or woman, he thought, wincing at the fury Anna would unleash upon him if he rolled out of bed one minute too late. The morning has been altogether too pleasant, he thought uneasily. Maybe she caught laryngitis--

"Yoh Asakura, WHAT is the meaning of this?!" screamed a furious voice, just as its source kicked the bathroom door open with an even more jarring noise. Yoh spat a mouthful of frothy toothpaste onto the mirror in shock, hiding his stunned expression from his view.

I've only been awake five minutes. What did I do this time? Yoh wanted to reply, but instead wiped the toothpaste off the mirror with as much composure as he could gather. "Good morning," he said thickly, but without irony, favoring Anna's quivering red face with an innocent, toothpaste-filled grin. "What's the meaning of what?" he asked, and began sloshing some water around in his mouth.

"This!" she bellowed, thrusting an envelope as red as her livid face at Yoh as though it were a tanto. He plucked it from between her fingers and squinted at it. There was no return address, and the deep crimson dye was beginning to bleed from the paper, running down his wet fingertips like blood. He hastily wiped his hands on a towel and he felt Anna's eyes boring into his back before he turned around and answered, as casually as he could manage, "I don't know, Anna. I've never received a red envelope before."

"It's a love letter, isn't it?" she demanded, making an affronted, disgusted face. "Go ahead and fool around with your red-envelope lover, but don't expect me to keep quiet--"

But Yoh had torn the envelope over and fished out its contents. He unfolded the letter. A rectangle of printed paper slid out, but Yoh caught it and stuffed it into his pocket, then turned his attention to the cramped yet familiar writing of the letter:

My dear grandson,

I hope this letter finds the future Shaman King and Queen well! Your grandmother and I regret that we haven't written in awhile, but we rest assured your training proceeds smoothly.

Yoh, you may not know this, but it is nearly five years ago to the day that we decided that Anna should wed you. I know she can be difficult sometimes, but you will need to accept your grandparents' intuition that she loves you, no matter how little she may show it. She has stood by your side through your trials and tribulations, worrying for your well-being and tending to you, and that speaks of a powerful love, no matter how begrudging she may seem when she does it.

I would like you to use the enclosed money to procure a token of your affection for your fiancé to celebrate five years of betrothal. I know you may feel reluctant to spend so much on somebody who seems to treat you so badly, but her concern for you is pure, even if it is suffused with discourteousness.

Remember always that we love you, but just as importantly, so does Anna. We wish you both happiness and success.

Write back soon,

Yohmei Asakura

Though he had read it all as quickly as he possibly could, he had barely finished reading the last line before Anna's impatience smacked him full on the right cheek. "Oh, I get it! You'd rather read your steamy love letter than confess to me--"

Yoh rubbed his swelling cheek tenderly and folded the letter down so that only the closing was visible. "Anna…This letter is from my grandparents."

She squinted at the words intensely, as though she were willing them to change to something more incriminating. "What kind of letter from grandparents comes in a dark red envelope…" she asked incredulously. Shaking her head, she stormed out, muttering as she did, "It's just stupid…it must run in the family…"

Yoh, still stinging from both the intensity and physical pain of her tirade, gave a deep sigh and reread the letter, more carefully this time.

'Use the enclosed money to procure a token of your affection…' My grandpa sure has one hell of a thesaurus, that's for sure…The enclosed money? I don't see any--Yoh retrieved the slip of paper he had crammed into his pocket when he feared Anna's wrath, and gave a little hiccupping gasp.

"Dear God," he whispered in awe, turning the bill over in his hands as though expecting it to speak to him. "Ten thousand yen…this is more money than I've ever owned…" He folded it carefully and secured it deep in his pocket. His mind was racing as he prepared to leave, strapping on weights onto his wrists and ankles. Closing the front door behind him, he proceeded to the street, breaking into an energetic jog, his sprightly footfalls giving his thoughts rhythm. Ten thousand yen can buy a lot of stuff…But what gift would suit Anna? And what would be appropriate for a five-year anniversary of bethrowal--betrathing…that word Grandpa used? Unconsciously he reached into his pocket, the spelling of the word eating away at the back of his mind along with the matter of what to buy Anna, but his hand found only a carefully folded piece of currency.

It's gone! Oh no, I must have left it on the sink…I hope Anna misses it, or throws it away, or shreds it…A paper shredder! No wait, that's a horrible gift idea. Man, I've never done this before…I've never even had to buy gifts for anyone before, Manta's like my only friend and I don't even know when his birthday is…A pang of guilt nipped at Yoh in his chest when he realized this, but he resolved to think about that later and pressed on, both with his feet against the sidewalk and with his mind as well.

What do people usually give for occasions like this? he wondered helplessly as his body kept rushing forward. It's times like these I wish I'd paid more attention to Anna's soap operas…Maybe I should get her a couple of seasons of Specific Hospital or All My Offspring…but she's probably seen them all anyway…This gift giving thing sure is tiring, he mused as he dabbed at the sweat on his forehead with his shirt. I should have a drink of water.

Yoh's left hand groped around his hip, feeling for the bottle of water he usually carried on his belt. Wondering why he couldn't quite grasp it, he looked down. "You're kidding me…Dammit, I must've forgotten about it when I was in such a rush to leave this morning…along with breakfast…"

As if in response to his commentary, his stomach gave a loud, low rumble. Ah well, I'm sure I'll come across a water fountain somewhere. Have a water fountain installed! Wait, that's a retarded idea, Anna wasn't kidding about me being stupid…His running pace slowed gradually, almost imperceptibly, but his mind worked harder to compensate. This shouldn't be hard, I mean we live together, and she's kinda cold sometimes, but she can be caring when she wants to…

Yoh smiled when he thought this, despite the fact that his mouth was now dry and he was no closer to deciding what to spend his money on. He also didn't notice that his energetic jog had slowed to a somewhat brisk walk. Maybe I should surprise her and, like, bake a cake or something and hide the money in the middle. God damn, that's a horrible idea. What is this, a five-year anniversary or a five-year-old's birthday party? 'Happy anniversary, baby, now put on this blindfold and pin the tail on the kitsune!' Ugh. I bet Horohoro never has to worry about crap like this…

He was deep in thought, oblivious to the warning signs his body was giving him. His body began slumping forwards, his forward progress now a slow waddle, and despite the merciless morning sun's heat, his sweating had stopped. Perhaps due to the heat, he thought of…An ice sculpture! Wait, come on, where the hell am I gonna get one of those? 'Aisle six, next to Jimmy Hoffa's body and the continent of Atlantis'?! Gah, why can't I think of anything good? Maybe I'm too thirsty, he finally realized. I'll just…I'll stop at that mall for a few minutes for some water. Anna will understand…No she won't, but I don't want to die, he tried to rationalize to himself.

The mall's just another block this way, Yoh encouraged himself, suddenly realizing how weak with thirst he had become. His knees buckled suddenly, and he braced himself against a wall before sidling on. The immaculately cleaned sliding doors glided open noiselessly as he approached, and he would not have recognized the sunken eyes, limp arms, and stumbling feet of his own reflection, even if he were able to see clearly.

Instead of refreshing him, the suddenly cool air of the mall had a disorienting effect. His mind narrowed its activity further and seemed disembodied, as though his muddled, sporadic thoughts were beaming from above into the awkwardly shuffling scarecrow below. Need…something to drink, came a thought just then, and he licked his lips as though about to speak, but there was no moisture on his tongue. "McDougal's," he wheezed to himself, "just around the corner…but…"

Feeling consciousness weaving in and out of him, he made it around the corner and saw the sign he was looking for. He wobbled dangerously now, like a top about to skid out on its side, but made his way inside the establishment. He briefly looked over the offerings for sale, wondering what would be best, and pointed with an unsteady, pale finger. Sliding the ten-thousand-yen bill across the counter, he spoke, his voice an arid, hoarse whistle, "I'll take…one of those…small…no ice…hurry please…about to dehydrate…"

Yoh's head lurched forward. He heard the impact of his orange headphones slamming into the tiled floor. He bent over instinctively to retrieve them, and then blackness enveloped him as his memory dried up and consciousness slipped away from him…

---------------------------

Yoh's eyes felt sticky, but he could see, somewhat blurred, the ceiling, painted a soothing cerulean. His right arm was propped above the sheet that covered everything below his chest, and two needles were poked into his skin just below his bicep. He blinked hard, staring at the needles with a kind of enthralled horror as they slowly dripped a clear liquid into his bloodstream, then at the very edge of his field of vision, saw a sudden swash of subdued yellow…

"Good," an unemotional voice spoke from that direction, "you're alive." Yoh looked over and saw Anna, her somewhat gaunt but otherwise impassive face peeking at him from above a smeary newspaper.

"Anna!" He wanted to scream, but in his recuperating state could only manage a loud whisper.

She put the newspaper down and stepped forward, walking around the intravenous drip stand, past the foot of his bed, to his left side, silently. "The paramedic said this is the most severe case of dehydration he's seen in years, so I guess I'll go easy on you for this one," she said, the ice in her voice beginning to melt. "Still, Yoh…I don't quite understand why you went for a twenty-five-mile run without at least a little water first. Not the sharpest katana on the weapons rack, are you?"

Yoh gave a resigned smile, knowing that explaining the circumstances of his forgetfulness wouldn't help…

"Then again…I don't blame you for being a little scatterbrained yesterday--"

"Yesterday?" he broke in, unaware that Anna was just about to come the closest she ever came to an apology. "How long have I been here?"

"Almost a full twenty-four hours. I came as soon as the receptionist gave me the call last afternoon."

Yoh didn't quite know what to say to that, but she waved off his expression. "It wasn't as bad as it sounds." She pointed to the TV mounted to the ceiling, which was now angled to where Anna had been sitting. "You didn't cause me to miss much. Anyway," she continued brusquely, "as I was saying, I'm not surprised you were a little stupider than usual yesterday, in light of this."

She pushed a folded sheet of paper onto Yoh's chest; he craned his neck slightly to read its cramped writing, spotted with water where the bathroom floor it had dropped onto was wet.

"You, er," Yoh stammered, not sure why Anna was showing him his own letter from his grandparents, "so you read that, huh?"

"I didn't mean to," she shot back defensively, suddenly embarrassed. "You dropped it face-up, and I couldn't help seeing the…the important parts…"

"Anna," Yoh said gently, "you read it all, and I don't mind."

"I, well…" she floundered before she sighed lightly. "He…he doesn't miss much, does he, your grandpa? Sharp as a tack," Anna observed, and she knew that she wasn't referring only to his remembering their five-year anniversary, but also the parts about Anna's feelings for Yoh…

"Yeah. He's very perceptive. Kinda rough and short-tempered at times, but really caring and smart. He reminds me a little of yo--somebody I know," said Yoh, correcting himself at the last moment.

But Anna, who was after all smart as Yoh had said, wasn't fooled for a second. She smiled despite herself and leaned in closer to him, combing his disheveled black hair with her slim fingers tenderly. "I take it back. Your grandpa's a smart guy. After all, if it weren't for him, you might've ended up in much worse shape after yesterday."

Yoh looked into Anna's eyes blankly. "Huh?"

"Well, you know. If he hadn't given you that money, you wouldn't have been able to buy a drink at the mall, and you might've…" She hesitated for a second, as though it were too devastating to even speak of, but finally finished, "might've died."

He understood, but at the same time became more confused than ever. "I…I didn't buy a drink, Anna."

"But the paramedic said your last words…sounded like you were trying to order something to drink…what was it, 'small,' 'no ice'?"

"Anna," Yoh replied, still in his weak, recovering voice, "Grandpa gave me that money to buy you a gift. And I wouldn't have spent a single yen of it on myself, no matter what…" He slid his left hand into his pocket nervously, uncertain if he really had managed to get what he had wanted, but he sighed in relief when his fingers withdrew a small velveteen box.

"…So, with my last few moments of consciousness," he finished, pulling the box out from under the sheet and placing it on his chest next to the letter, "I got you this. I hope the guy got it right."

He opened the box and delicately pulled out the glinting object inside. Anna appeared thunderstruck and stood there motionless, saying nothing, merely staring at the delicately filigreed golden band Yoh was slowly rotating with his fingertips.

"I told him, 'Small,'" he began to explain, reaching out and entwining the fingers of his left hand with hers, "because I remembered how delicate and slender your fingers were that one time you let me hold your hand…"

Yoh felt Anna's hand shiver slightly within his, and he saw her swallow hard, as though straining to hold something back…

"And 'no ice,' because ten thousand yen is a lot of money, but not enough to get any diamonds in this ring. At least none," he finished, "worthy of gracing your hand."

Then, not caring that he was stretching the tubes of his IV dangerously, he reached out with his other hand to slide the ring onto Anna's quivering finger.

"H-happy fifth anniversary, Anna," Yoh stammered.

And she, feeling the waves of emotion finally cresting over her formidable barrier, broke down, tears silently gliding down her cheeks. Yoh did his best to comfort her from his confinement on the bed, but found to his surprise that he too was crying. They smiled, teary-eyed, stupidly happy, at each other for a few moments before Anna crouched before Yoh's chest, throwing her arms upon his shoulders. She nestled her face next to his neck, and Yoh felt hot tears leak onto his collarbone, mixed with his--

A loud throat clearing came from behind them. "Ahem! Master Asakura should not physically exert himself after such a severe bout of dehydration." Anna slowly took a single step back from Yoh's bed and glared at the doctor as though he had just made a cell phone call during a classical music concert.

"Nonetheless," the doctor continued, looking at the clipboard in his hands, "it seems he has recovered well enough to have some fluids. Can I get you anything?"

Yoh nodded. "Yes, please. I'll have a glass of water. Small, no ice."

Anna looked at Yoh and, after a split second of silence, both erupted into raucous laughter. The doctor, looking completely baffled, backed out of the room slowly.

Once the laughter had died down, Yoh spoke again, his voice slightly stronger. "Anna, I know I screw up sometimes, and I'm sorry for that."

"You did okay this time, Yoh," she replied, turning her ring finger over in the light. "Look at it. Even when you're about to pass out, you picked out this one…It's beautiful."

Yoh blushed, looking at her normally austere face that was now at once vulnerable and tender, but mostly expressed something else, something that Yoh felt for her too… "Not as beautiful as you."

Anna leaned over again, brushed his chin with her fingertips, and planted a kiss on his lips, the lips that had not long ago hungered for water, but now hungered for the unique brand of love only she could provide him…An unquenchable thirst of a different kind now surged up his spinal cord, his tongue wrestling hers now for dominance, seeing who loved the other more…

Anna leapt back as she heard footsteps enter the room. "Master Yoh? Here's your water, like you requested," the nurse said hesitantly, handing the water to Yoh delicately as though afraid he would lunge at her. "The doctor would like to run a few psychological tests on you before you're discharged, however…"